restrain a certain
significance in her tone.

"That he most assuredly would. You sang out just too late to keep me
from firing but not too late to spoil my aim."

But the man most concerned, was the least concerned of all. Manamandhla
himself to wit. From his demeanour he need not have just experienced
the narrowest shave he was ever likely to have in his life. When
Thornhill rated him he merely smiled and said nothing.

"Well, we can reckon the day as over," said Thornhill, as Prior and
Evelyn joined them at the bottom of the kloof--the latter had bagged
what had been driven out in front of him, a duiker ram to wit. "We
might have done better, and we might have done worse. Five bushbucks
and a duiker among four guns--"

"And a vaal koorhaan," put in Elvesdon. "Don't forget the vaal
koorhaan, Thornhill. _Diane chasseresse_ has the honours of the day."

"Hear, hear!" cried Prior.

Thornhill laughed--easily, carelessly. He instinctively felt that both
his daughter and Elvesdon were aware that if his last shot had been
successful Manamandhla would have met his death by no accident at all.
But he was not the man to give himself away.

"Sorry for your ill luck, Elvesdon," he said. "We may get another
chance on the way home, even now."

"Oh that's all right. I'm a bit `off' to-day, I suppose. Better luck
next time."

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

PEACE--AND POTENTIALITIES.

"If I had had such a father as yours, Edala, I should simply have
worshipped him."

"I daresay. In fact it strikes me that that's just about what you're
doing with regard to mine."

The retort was crisp, not to say scathing. Evelyn Carden was angry with
herself for changing colour slightly, the while those clear blue eyes
were pitilessly searching her face. But she was not going to quarrel
with Edala, so she answered conciliatorily:--

"Now dear, you know I never meant to offend you. Why should I? We have
got on so well together. What I said was for your own happiness; that
and nothing else. Of course I've no earthly right to even seem to
`lecture' you."

"Not yet," was the still more scathing retort which arose to the other
girl's lips. Fortunately she checked it. She looked up, as though
waiting for more.

"I am not a gushing person, Edala dear, but I have grown very fond of
you since I have been here. I would not have said anything about this
estrangement but that it suddenly struck me--and struck me with horror--